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Thanks for visiting! This blog began in 2009 to keep in touch with family/friends while I worked in Madagascar, finally repatriating in 2014. Would you believe me if I told you that my Canadian life has been crazier than that of the jungle life? Going into the 5th year in Canada, and Africa is calling me again. Who knows what will happen.

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There are only a few days of 2009 left...and since I haven`t really been blogging (but have really missed it!) I thought I`d make a list of 9 things that occured in my life during 2009 (although really - a more appropriate number would be 19...)

1. I went to Los Cabos for the first time. I didn`t like that part of Mexico – or the company that I went with (said company was subsequently eliminated from my life).

2. I failed Advanced Financial Accounting...for the second time. Or is it the third time now? I`ve lost track, I think...I don't know...I don't do numbers. ;)
3. I went on a girl’s trip to Las Vegas. Enough said. (Ok...we were behaved...but only because one of us got knocked up before we left.....ahem...) (The t-shirts had to be edited posting...well...because they did. :O ) 4. I changed jobs – I went from a fairly every day routine job – into one that challenges me like I never thought a job could. I have hard moments...hours...days... but I absolutely love it.

I usually do this almost every weekend while I'm in MG...so figured I'd try to do the same while I'm in Canada.

Friday:
Started off with some shopping with my BFF... but not before a quick a drive thru Tim Hortons. I miss ordering coffee from a window!!!

I have to drink this:

To balance out for this...yum. Only comes out at Christmas. Is so full of petrochemicals (??) and other crap but is soooo worth it.

Next stop: my first Christmas party in Canada!! Miss my buds!
Maybe.....I had a few drinks.... or it was just that hot that I needed to lay in the snow to cool off?? Or...I was drunk.
Saturday:
Up early to drive to the lake. I need to get a picture of this at nighttime with all the beautiful lights!

Trying to take "snow" pictures.

After a quick breakfast at the lake, it was off to Canmore for the awesomest fondue party. I think I ate a pound of cheese...
Sunday:
Up...earlyish for some breakfast...then on to take on the town of Canmore. The plan - buy the rest …

Two years ago (it seems like so much longer than that) I lived with my BFF and her daughter for almost a year when her husband was away in Afghanistan. The ups and downs of living with a one year old were priceless, and I fell completely in love with her daughter...and I'm proud to say one of my best friends in the whole world is a three year old (and am a bit sad that I won't have the same opportunity with her very newest addition....since I'll be living far, far away...at least she can grow up watching the MG movie).

So I was thrilled when I got an email a few weeks ago from my BFF (while I was still in MG), telling me that her daughter was having a Christmas party at pre-school, and she had specifically requested me to go with her as her date. Kids are too cute. It was (of course) my priveledge.....

I initially wanted to wear a matching outfit with her...but then she found this infamous monstrosoty in my closet - a three year old's dream sweater...

Environment Canada recorded a -46.1*C (-58.4*C) temperature at the Edmonton International Airport on December 13th. Yep - that's the day that I got home. It has current warmed up to a o a bamly -26*C (-38*C with windchill) today.

And...I had to PAY to come here (well....the project did) and travel for like...fourty hours to get here. I CHOSE to do this. Do you know what it feels like when I leave the house? I cough non-stop for about three minutes. The air literally takes your breath away.

When I finally arrived in Edmonton I was stuck on the plane. All but one gate was frozen. Our plane was next in line - but something on the plane in front of us froze. When the captain made that annoucement I started to crack up laughing. Ahhh....Edmonton.
When we were finally able to get off the plane - the luggage compartment was frozen shut - so we had to wait around the airport for two hours for our luggage. Ahhhhhhh.....Edmonton!

Last night I had a year-end/Christmas dinner/Gift Exchange with three of my favorites.

Back in this post, I wrote about their cute little lovefest anniversary night with each other, and that I had been so lucky to be a part of it. Again, last night I was a part of their lovefest and again, feeling so very lucky. These guys (along with so many other expats here) ROCK!!!

A few weeks ago, I was in a shop and saw the cutest shirts with three lemurs - one drinking rum, one laying in a hammock, and the other one playing the guitar. It was totally so them.I decided to get them each one and then give it to them for Christmas.

Along with the best Christmas card ever!

And their gift to me? Well...remember these two pictures from Halloween?

They have now been turned into famous artwork.

Such an incredible gift. I had proclaimed that Halloween night as "The best night of my life apart from when I get married or have kids" multiple times (yes, I had been drinking, but it was the awesomest ni…